Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1887-05-19
SET IN DIAMONDS.
by Charlotte M. Braeme.
CHAPTER XvI.-CoSrISuEp.

my brother has been most Wiley and
grossly deceived, and that ii is time he
knew the true character of the creature
whom he, in his folly, calls his wife.
Why could you not say goodbye to
Captain Este in the house? The very
fact that you came Dat on purpose to
meet him on purpose to say goodbye
TO him-proves you had that to saw
which ought not to have been said. Cap
tain Este said goodbye to all of us at
home-why not to you?'
She looked with clear honest eyes in
her enemy's face,
"YOu know that all you are saying is
false, Lady Perth. You hate me, you
have hated me since the first day came,
You have been cruel to me, you hal G
prosecuted me, you tried to make my
husband care less for me, you have
tried to separate me from nay child,
and now you bring false charges against
me-"
''They are not false charges" said
Lady Perth. "They are true every one.
Did you or did you not come out here
purposely to meet Captain Este?"
IL did," replied Lady Stair; shut
there was no more harm in my coming
this morning than on any other. have
been here hundred times with Captain
Este, and you know it,"
You admit that you came here to
meet Captain Este. Your excuse is
that you have been here hundred
times before. May / ask-still in my
brothers interest-if you have conduc-
ted yourself on previous occasions as
you have done on this?"
The blue eyes flashed fire.
"You insult me, Lady Perth; and you
presume to insult me the more grossly
because there is no one to defend me.
shall appeal to Lord Stair"
"When Lord Stair hears what have
to say, he will listen to no appeal from
YOU" sneered Lady Perth. "My brother
is not a jealous man, he is not sus-
picious man, but when he hears from
me how long you stood with your arms
round Captain Estes neck, how often
he kissed yon, how you wept when he
went away, my brothers eyes will be
opened"
my husband will not be angry, that
-that-he kissed me and cried when he
left me. He knew that we-we-cared
for each other" said Lady Stair.
"Your husband did not know that
which after seeing you | am sure Of"
retorted Lady Perth; he did not know
that you were mere lovers"
1--WE were not lovers" cried Lady
Stair. "You know that is false
Il believe it TO be perfectly true"
cried Lady Perth. "You could not
deny on your honor that your CONVEX
sation was of love-"
She could not, and her enemy saw
her advantage.
Iy;, 10 20 =
ued Lady Perth, 'that everything is
as ii seems TO be. You may have ar
ranged to go by the next train to
accompany him. 1t is impossible to
say how far the mischief has spread;
the best thing you can do is to come
home with me, and we will see my
brother at once.
"Your brother is just man, thank
Heaven." cried Lady Stair.
Therefore he has been imposed up
on" said Lady Perth. ~ have not
been blind, if he has. have seen
what has been going on for the last
four months"
"You are wicked and unjust, Lady
Perth" cried the hapless girl. "You
know that what you are saying against
me is untrue and most wicked. 1t is a
false charge, and you bring it against
me, Heaven will prove my innocence"
II do not think Heaven will inter-
fere," said Lady Perth profanely, with
a sheer. ut does not, as rule, inter-
fere to protect Illicit love-
~ do not know what you mean by
Illicit love-" said Lady Stair; but at
this time she was no match for her foe.
She was weak and exhausted by the
anguish and passion of that farewell;
the darkness that had fallen around
her, and broken so suddenly and bitterly
by the lightning flash of that accusation
was too much for her. She would have
fallen again, but that Lady Perth held
her.
"Come home," she said, brusquely.
"You have done yourself mischief
enough out here"
They walked to the house together.
'Come straight to the white drawing
room with me-" said Lady Perth, "and
we will see my brother at once"
When she was in the room, those cold
proud eyes fixed upon her with q NAL
cious smile in them, some sense of the
horror of her position broke in upon
the unhappy girl.
''Sit down." said Lady Pc. th, abrupt
", IL will send for Lord Stair"
The unhappy girl sprung from her
seat with white, quivering lips.
Lady Perth" she cried, "what are
you going to do?"
Delighted to see that her victim was
waking up to the reality of the torture
at last, she replied:
Il am going to repeat TO my brother
your husband, every word heard, and
everything saw at the Herons' POOL
Lady Stair laid her hand on heI
enemy's arm.
.Stop," she said "think one minute
before you do this. l did no harm
before Heaven, l swear to you die
no wrong. / meant no harm, II liked
him very much, he was very kind t.
me, and shall never see him again
Lady Perth. have told you the truth.
IL have never asked a favor of kind.
ness from your hands yet, l ask on,
now; do not tell my husband, he will
not understand"
A burning blush dyed her face, she
trembled as she folded her hands lik,
one praying.
'sDo not tell Lord STAIR" she repeated
~ humble myself to you. 1t wa,
wrong, indiscrete, but am young ant
very ignorant. AS you are woman
yourself be pitiful to me. / meant M
harm; thought no wrong"
Lady Perth's only answer to these
passionate words was to cross the room
and ring the bell,
ask Lord Stair IL he will come her,
at once" she said to the servant who
answered 1t.
But his lordship. for wonder, wa
out, and would not return until sever